Wine is high in sugar, so I'm guessing you just freaked out the insulin response. Distiller spirits (vodka, gin, tequila, etc.) have fewer unfermented sugars than wines and beers, so they might be more tolerable for a "newly paleo" metabolism.

Your mileage may vary, of course... I haven't had a problem with anything but beer (except gluten free) since starting 4 months ago, but I hear that that isn't typical. All alcohol is going to promote some sort of insulin response, and it's just a matter of how sensitive you are (provided you're not talking three bottles of wine in a sitting) that determines the aftermath.

If your doing the whole ketosis thing then the alcohol might have more effect on you. I don't follow a low carb diet but I still get really bad hangovers these days because I rarely drink. A few years ago I could drink copious amounts and still function the next day but now it's a full day of headaches/anxiety/sickness/depression from 5 or 6 drinks.

I get the same thing. I love beer, I used to be able to down 5+ beers in a night with no ill effects (in terms of a hang-over). Now if I have more than 2 I will feel bad the next morning. So instead I focus on drinking one really good beer rather than multiple crap beers.

If I have a glass or two I end up with a lamp shade on my head and no recollection of what the hell my friends are talking about...which is why I don't drink anymore.

the same thing happened to me when I first went paleo (i was very low carb in the beginning b/c I was so obese). I abstained for a few weeks, then had about a shot's worth of some sipping liquor (can't remember now if it was bourbon or rum) and just felt AWFUL! but now, 1.5 years and 80 lbs of fat lighter and no longer low carb, I can drink and enjoy myself and not feel like death the next day. So, I would say maybe it's just because you're new to paleo and your body is going through a lot of changes, and alcohol just doesn't belong in the equation right now. Try again in a few weeks, if you feel like it.

Thanks guy! Think I'll just stick to water from now on x

I used to be a pretty heavy drinker, able to down a fifth of vodka at night and get up the next day and be fine at work/ class. I layed off the drinking and started paleo at about the same time. Now I really don't even enjoy alcohol, but if I do decide to drink, I wake up the next morning feeling like death. I never figured out why this is, but I'm guessing its a combination of being more sensitive to negative feelings (since I feel so great these day), and the fact that I no longer have any tolerance for the stuff.

This is where an N=1 experiment might be a lot of fun. Try different alcoholic beverages about a month or a few weeks apart from one another. Write down your reactions. Keep in mind that many other factors are at play that you are not controlling for, but it will be fun and relatively informative regardless. Repeat your experiment as much as needed.

I have had a similar experience. I'm about to enter my senior year of college, and I am about 4-5 months into my paleo venture. Being in a fraternity, I come from a culture of heavy drinking. I have cut down on drinking a lot, as it has helped my fitness goals. My theory is that less frequent drinking lowers overall tolerance, and your body can't adjust as well as it should. I'm not sure if your diet is low carb or not. If it is, then a possible reason for a higher hangover could be due to all the sugars. Likewise, sulfates in wine are inflammatory, which could exacerbate a hangover. I read somewhere that all alcohol is bad, but some such as tequila, are less harmful for overall health because of the plant that they are derived from. Agave on its own is less harmful than grains, which can be brewed into a slew of boozes.